WotC's Chris Perkins Talks Realms & Sundering

Den of Geek has a lengthy interview with Chris Perkins about the Forgotten Realms and The Sundering. He also very briefly touches on other settings, indicating that WotC hopes that other worlds will be covered in the future if the right story comes along. On past controversial changes to settings, he says "Our guiding principle is to embrace the past and not pass judgment or rewrite history. We’d rather let the fans tell us what they like about the Realms and focus on those elements going forward." (thanks to MerricB for the scoop!)

 

[Irennan]

That would be stupid, as no FR fan -no matter of what edition they prefer- would be pleased by the absence of significant FR lore/support. Also, I don't think that this is the case: as I wrote in a previous post, Ed has written a lot of lore about various areas, deities, organizations and so on going forward in the post-Sundering Realms.

 

[Henry]

@gyor Ed has written and turned a lot of lore on regions, organizations, deities and so on in the post Sundering Realms. It's up to WotC to decide when to release it.

For example here (http://theedverse.com/#comment-1681059936) he says that basically every region of the world has been covered, and here (http://theedverse.com/#comment-1746433518) that he has written about Eilistraee in the new era (which leads me to guess that the same holds true for the other deities). However, everything is in WotC's hands now.

I didn't quite read it as "I've written on every spot and turned it over already" but more as "WotC is revealing things slowly but don't worry as long as I'm involved I wont let them forget any region if I can help it." (Last line being a cute turn of phrase)

As for 5th edition, there will
eventually be lore for everywhere, if I can make it happen, the
specific countries you mention included, but it may take a while.

Thus far, things are proceeding on a
story-by-story approach (that is, an adventure like the Lost Mine
of Phandelver in the Starter Set box, or the two-parter that
began with the Hoard of the Dragon Queen book, will have the
adventure, plus more lore about the location and vicinity of the
adventure encounters, and we’ll get to see bits of the Realms that
way). There are multiple stories written and planned into the future,
and how fast things unfold depends on product sales and lots of other
real-world considerations, so hang in there, and we’ll see. Suffice
it to say that no corner of the Realms has been forgotten by me!

 

[Sailor Moon]

That would be stupid, as no FR fan -no matter of what edition they prefer- would be pleased by the absence of significant FR lore/support. Also, I don't think that this is the case: as I wrote in a previous post, Ed has written a lot of lore about various areas, deities, organizations and so on going forward in the post-Sundering Realms.

I guess you are referring to my comment.

Wizards aren't known for their intelligence and sound business practices so that's why I made my comment.

 

[Derren]

I guess you are referring to my comment.

Wizards aren't known for their intelligence and sound business practices so that's why I made my comment.

I think he meant mine (WotC not saying anything in order to keep everyone waiting instead of saying something and driving many people who don't like the new old Realms away)

 

[Irennan]

Yes, my reply was to Derren's post. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

I didn't quite read it as "I've written on every spot and turned it over already" but more as "WotC is revealing things slowly but don't worry as long as I'm involved I wont let them forget any region if I can help it." (Last line being a cute turn of phrase)

Yes, you have a point. However it has been said on the Candlekeep forums that Ed has been writing a lot of FR stuff since this Summer, so I guess that they have already got some substantial lore about the setting (the fact that Ed has already turned in post-Sundering lore about Eilistraee, who -despite her popularity- isn't a major player in-world, leads me to think that the ''big'' stuff has already been covered).

 

[Sailor Moon]

Yes, my reply was to Derren's post. Sorry for the misunderstanding.



Yes, you have a point. However it has been said on the Candlekeep forums that Ed has been writing a lot of FR stuff since this Summer, so I guess that they have already got some substantial lore about the setting (the fact that Ed has already turned in post-Sundering lore about Eilistraee, who -despite her popularity- isn't a major player in-world, leads me to think that the ''big'' stuff has already been covered).

The worry I have is just because Ed has written a lot of stuff doesn't mean it's going to make it into a book. They could be saving the material for future online articles etc... They could also be sifting through it and deciding what to use.

 

[HobbitFan]

I'm still really confused and after waiting since the Sundering and advent of 5E for WOTC to talk about the Realms.....I'm fed up with the silence enough to just walk away for a while.

I love 5E and think htey have done an OUSTANDING job with writing and presenting the rules.
They are doing a horrible job of supporting D&D beyond the rules though.
Everything they have been asked about since August gets a cryptic response, the same cryptic response almost like everyone has been told by PR waht to say: nothing.

 

[Irennan]

The worry I have is just because Ed has written a lot of stuff doesn't mean it's going to make it into a book. They could be saving the material for future online articles etc... They could also be sifting through it and deciding what to use.

WotC's discarding Ed's lore is what I too fear (even tho seeing it released in the form of online articles could work for me). However, my original post to gyor was to tell him that -from what I've seen- it seems to me that there is enough substance about the post-Sundering Realms, where he was worried that those 6 novels were basically all that existed for the 5e iteration of the setting.

 

[Gnarl45]

I'm more worried about the FR authors not bothering to write books and recreate a rich FR lore. What WoTC did to the FR authors is plain horrible. "Sorry guys, you have to kill all your non-elf/dwarf characters and find new stories to tell because your ongoing plots are over"...

I'm also worried that WoTC will get impatient and won't wait for the FR fans to come back. I wouldn't be surprised if it takes more than one good book to regain the trust of the FR fans. I know I'm going to wait and make sure I don't waste my money a second time.

 

[Selvarin]

I have to think WotC is being judicious by not saying anything at this point. Not everything we want to see in print is viable/justifiable at this stage. Likewise I'm sure someone higher up has their own concerns on providing content online for free. (Producing online content for profit--PDFs--seems to be out of the cards as well...)

When the product schedule is set we'll start hearing about 'em. And once WotC figures out the best way to balance giving away some free content *and* provide a service worth paying for online then that avenue will open up. I have to think they're debating that internally, since they can't just give it away. Ed's writing has value, as does anyone else who put in the time.